Prayagraj: With the constant rise of water level of twin rivers – Ganga and Yamuna – residents of low lying areas in Sangam city are perplexed.Althrough both the rivers are flowing four meters below danger mark, anxiety looms large among majority of residents living areas like Chota Baghara, Baghara,Ganga Nagar, Beli gaon, Rajapur, Newada, Mehdauri, Chilla, Salori, Govindpur, Daraganj, Sadiabad, Bakshi Moda and adjoining areas.Residents said that they would wait for another 24 to 48 hours before moving to safer places.Officials of the flood control department attributed the rise in the water level to release of additional rain water by many dams in states like Madhya Pradesh, and Uttrakhand.The district authorities have already sounded an alert and activated as many as 98 flood outposts. They claimed that adequate arrangements have been made at relief camps and a strict vigil was being maintained.Officials said water was being released into Yamuna through Ken and Betwa rivers from dams concerned.Similarly, water was being released into Ganga from Narora, Kanpur and Haridwar dams. By 8 am , water level of both the rivers at all the three recording sites was rising alarmingly.Water level of Ganga (at 8 am ) at Phaphamau was 80.31 m, at Chhatnag it was 79.31 m. Yamuna was flowing at 79.68 m at Naini, four meters below the danger mark of 84.73 m. There has been an increase of 59 cm in water level of Yamuna river in 24 hours at Naini. Similarly, Ganga rose 36 cm and 57 cm at Phaphamau and Chhatnag respectively.If similar situation continues, it would affect the student population the most living in Rajapur, Beli Gaon, Baghara, Chota Baghara and adjoining areas. “With water level rising at a brisk pace in the next 48 hours, water would surely be entering houses and colonies in low lying areas and then we would be moving to safer places,” said a resident of Chota Baghara adding, “We would be shifting to relief camps”.Meanwhile, to address the waterlogging caused by heavy rainfall in various areas of sangam city, senior administrative officials on Wednesday conducted an on-site inspection of George Town, Tagore Town, the Sangam Petrol Pump area, and other affected localities.While reviewing the drainage arrangements, officials directed that the drainage process be further accelerated by deploying additional pumps. Currently, drainage operations are being carried out rapidly across the district using 43 pumps with a combined pumping capacity of 132.50 MLD. Six pumps, with a total capacity of 20 MLD, have been installed in the Sangam Petrol Pump area.Instructions have also been issued to the Jal Nigam to provide water tankers in areas facing drinking water shortages. Senior officials directed that resources be made available immediately as needed to quickly normalize the situation and ensure that residents do not face any inconvenience.
